Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, has become a central figure in a new wave of far-right activism that blends online agitation with street protests. The former English Defence League (EDL) leader, who was imprisoned for contempt of court in May and released on bail in August, has mobilised thousands of supporters through rallies funded partly from the US. These events have drawn European far-right figures and a US congressman, while extremist groups have been present in the crowds.
Robinson’s supporters, many without formal political affiliation, believe he is being silenced by the British state. Over 630,000 people signed a petition calling for his release, with a third from outside the UK. Solidarity protests occurred in Austria, Hungary, Australia and Canada. US figures such as Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr have voiced support, while the Middle East Forum, a Philadelphia-based thinktank, helped organise London rallies.
Robinson’s activism includes filming outside sexual assault trials involving Muslim defendants, leading to a suspended sentence in 2017 and a 13-month prison term in May 2024 for contempt. He was released on appeal in August, and his case has been referred to the attorney general. Judges expressed concern that his actions could prejudice trials.
Despite claiming to be silenced, Robinson has nearly a million Facebook followers and extensive media coverage. His reinvented role as an online propagandist taps into anxieties about class, power and ethnicity in Britain, according to observers. Stephen Bannon, former Trump adviser, has called him “the fucking backbone” of his country and proposed including him in a pan-European far-right network called The Movement.
